September 05, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Everett Teaford (61) delivers a pitch during the first inning of the game against the Texas Rangers at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-US PRESSWIRE

Teaford made the Opening Day roster for the Royals, but was sent back to Triple-A at the end of April. There, he made seven appearances (six starts). He was 4-0 with a 1.09 ERA over 33 innings and opponents hit just .207 against him.

Teaford was called back up to the big leagues for good at the end of June. He wasn’t used a whole lot (he made just ten appearances over the final two months). He had a few bumps in the month of September, but also had a few good outings. On the first against Minnesota, he allowed just three hits over 5.1 scoreless innings of relief.

In a start against Texas four days later, he allowed three runs over 4.1 innings (the runs came on a homerun in the first inning). He only allowed three hits while striking out five.

Since being left unprotected for the 2009 Rule V draft, Teaford’s velocity has increased on his fastball. That has made his breaking ball and changeup even better. It doesn’t hurt that he throws from different arms slots.

Against left-handed hitters in the minors he dominated (a .174 average and nine strikeouts in 14.1 innings). He struggled a bit with lefties in the majors. In 21.1 innings, lefties hit .300 against him. He only struck out ten compared to nine walks. That’s a ratio that will NEED to change for him to stick in the big leagues.

BA gave him a low-risk factor in their rankings, meaning he has a certain big league future. Hopefully he can stick for a full season.

So long, Humberto. (Photo Credit: Brett Davis-US PRESSWIRE)

The Royals calmed some angry voices today by announcing that they have designated catcher Humberto Quintero for assignment. Yes, that .232/.257/.341 line couldn’t save him, and his defense was, well, not all it was cracked up to be, to put it lightly. With “Savior” Salvador Perez back in Royal blue, the team was comfortable letting one of its three catchers go. As Brayan Pena is a team staple at this point, Quintero exited stage right.

So, we all got what we wanted and hoped for, and now the team has an opening, to be filled by outfielder Jason Bourgeois. Bourgeois spent some time in Kansas City earlier in the year and brings in a .294/.323/.357 line from his MLB time last season and a .214/.267/.286 line from 15 plate appearances with the Royals earlier this year. While at Omaha, Bourgeois hit .205/.262/.269 in 168 plate appearances. It’s not as if he’s a home run king or likely to help much beyond what the Royals already have in the lineup, but he’s a warm body that can fill space.

On the other side of the ball, the Royals also optioned 31-year old left-handed pitcher Francisley Bueno to Omaha in exchange for lefty Everett Teaford, who will see his second stint in Kansas City this year as the pitching merry-go-round continues to whirl. Bueno only pitched two innings in his time as a Royal, allowing one run and three hits. Earlier in the season, Teaford threw 11 innings, allowed seven runs and two home runs, walked seven, and struck out four. However, he blazed through lineups in Omaha, pitching 24 innings and allowing four total runs with eight walks and 25 strikeouts. It seems like it’s time for Teaford to return to Kansas City, as AAA batters are offering little challenge.

Basically, the Royals made two logical moves on one day. Quintero wasn’t helping anything and the team doesn’t need three catchers on its 25-man roster. It’s always good to have five outfielders if necessary, even if Bourgeois doesn’t add much to the team.

Still, that raises an interesting question. If Bourgeois is in Kansas City, why couldn’t Wil Myers be there instead? Neither Jarrod Dyson nor Mitch Maier pose much of a threat to taking his playing time, but it’s possible the Royals are waiting for a corner outfield spot to open. Nonetheless, this could be the precursor to a change that sees Myers wearing Royal blue. Because he’s not currently on the 40-man roster, a player would have to be removed, and that could well be Quintero. Once Quintero is off the roster, there will be a hole in the 40-man and the Royals don’t have to worry about removing another player they might actually want to keep. Enter Wil Myers.

Keep an eye on the announcements in the near future. We may see Myers in Kansas City before we know it.

April 9, 2012; Oakland, CA, USA; Kansas City Royals center fielder Lorenzo Cain (6) at bat against the Oakland Athletics during the third inning at O.co Coliseum. Oakland defeated Kansas City 1-0. Mandatory Credit: Jason O. Watson-US PRESSWIRE

Omaha lost in extra innings to Memphis, 6-4. The Storm Chasers received a solid outing from starter Everett Teaford, who pitched six shutout innings. He allowed just two hits while striking out five. They also received a solid relief outing from Brandon Sisk, who pitched two shutout innings. But between those two and after was where all the runs were given up.

Wil Myers played third base, but made an error (though it did not cost them a run).

NW Arkansas lost the finale of their series with Tulsa, 5-4. The Drillers scored five runs in the top of the 6th inning. That was after John Whittleman gave the Naturals a 2-0 lead in the first inning with his 13th homerun of the season.

The Naturals did receive a good relief outing from Elisaul Pimentel. He allowed three hits over 3.2 innings. 27 of his 39 pitches were thrown for strikes.

Lorenzo Cain continued his rehab, but started as the DH on Thursday night. He went 0-for-4 with a run scored and two strikeouts.

Wilmington started the second half much the way they played during the first half. They lost to Carolina, 7-3. The Blue Rocks had 12 hits, but went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.

The Blue Rocks had a few base-running blunders. Whit Merrifield went too far on a double and was thrown out at second base. They failed on a double steal (second and home) and both were thrown out.

It could have been much worse, as the Mudcats had 18 hits, but on consecutive singles in the 8th inning, Carolina had base runners thrown out at the plate. That allowed Cole White to give up five hits in one inning but only allow one run.

The Blue Rocks welcomed Orlando Calixte to the lineup (who was promoted to replace the promoted Alex McClure). He started at shortstop and went 2-for-4 in his High-A debut. It was a tough night for Brett Eibner: he went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts.

The short-season Burlington Royals lost to Pulaski 4-3. Royals starter Daniel Hernandez threw five perfect innings and struck out five. His relief quickly hit a batter, gave up a hit, and then the lead. Still no Bubba Starling.

July 10, 2011; Phoenix, AZ, USA; USA outfielder Wil Myers drives in a run with a ground out during the 2011 Futures Game at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-US PRESSWIRE

Wil Myers broke a 7-7 tie in the top of the 9th inning with a two-run homerun (his ninth in Triple-A), and Omaha held on for the 9-7 victory over Iowa. That made a winner of the rehabbing Everett Teaford, who blew the save as he allowed one run on four hits over three innings.

In other rehabbing news, Chris Getz played second base and went 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Salvador Perez was the DH and went 3-for-5 with three RBIs. Neither played the whole game.

Irving Falu moved to the leadoff spot and went 2-for-4 with two runs scored. He also played right field.

NW Arkanas collected just two hits, as they lost to Tulsa, 6-0. The loss dropped the Naturals into second place in the Texas League’s North Division. The Naturals had more errors (three) than hits.

Yem Prades picked up the Naturals first hit with one out in the 6th inning.

Wilmington returned home and came out flat, with poor pitching and no offense. Salem took the first game of the series, 8-0. The three Blue Rocks pitchers walked 12 with just one strikeout. The offense collected just three hits.

Following the game, Blue Rocks hitting coach Damon Hollins talked about the loss, the adjustments the team has made with all of the roster changes, and the team’s two All-Stars:

Kane County lost in walk-off fashion to host Peoria, 10-9. Jason Dooley took the loss, despite giving up just that one unearned run over 3.2 innings.

It was all offense early, as the score was tied at 9-9 after five innings. Five Cougars collected multi-hit games, with Jorge Bonifacio having the biggest day. He went 3-for-5 with a homerun and four RBIs.

Everett Teaford. Photo: Denny Medley-US PRESSWIRE

Omaha got the best of Round Rock and Major League veteran Roy Oswalt, 7-2. In his second start since signing with the Texas Rangers, Oswalt allowed five runs on six hits over four innings. All five runs came in the bottom of the 3rd inning, four coming on Wil Myers‘ grand slam (his 8th homerun in Triple-A).

It was a KC Royals rehab game on Thursday night. Everett Teaford started and allowed one run (on a solo homerun) over two innings. He allowed two hits while striking out two. Chris Getz led off and played second base. He went 1-for-2 with a run scored and a walk. Salvador Perez DH’ed and went 2-for-4, with a double and a strikeout.

Jake Odorizzi picked up the win, as he allowed just one run on five hits and two walks over 6.2 innings. He struck out ten (97 pitches, 68 for strikes). He did however leave the game with the bases loaded, but Tommy Hottovy threw just two pitches to escape and close out the victory.

NW Arkansas walked off against Arkansas, 6-5 in ten innings. With runners at second and third base and two outs, Yem Prades delivered the game winner, a ground ball to third base. He went 3-for-6 with two runs scored. The game headed to extra innings after the Travelers tied the game at 5-5 in the top of the 9th inning.

The game was tied at 4-4 after the 5th inning before the Naturals tied the game in the bottom of the 8th inning on a Rey Navarro RBI single. The Naturals had 13 hits, with Christian Colon and Paulo Orlando collecting two of them.

After Chris Dwyer struggled yet again (89 pitches over just four innings), Buddy Baumann came on in relief and did not allow a hit or walk over four scoreless innings.

(more…) ]]> http://kingsofkauffman.com/2012/06/07/royals-june-7th-minors-recap/feed/ 0 http://kingsofkauffman.com/2012/05/21/the-royals-starting-evolution/ http://kingsofkauffman.com/2012/05/21/the-royals-starting-evolution/#comments Mon, 21 May 2012 05:13:29 +0000 Ethan Evans http://kingsofkauffman.com/?p=13264 Entering the season, everyone knew that the Royals’ starting rotation was probably going to be a weak point. There were a lot of unknowns as we started out. There was* hope for Luke Hochevar to finally put things together. Jonathan Sanchez was a questionable pitcher who had shown flashes of having potential. Felipe Paulino was looking to build on a season that was actually somewhat decent. Kyle Davies was NOT going to be in the starting rotation, which was a victory in and of itself.  (more…)

With how the Royals starting pitching has been at times this season we’ve seen multiple moves with pitchers going to and from Omaha. The Storm Chasers begin a homestand on today so at least Adcock won’t be playing planes, trains and automobiles like he did in getting to Arlington this week.

Nate Adcock was the tough luck loser last night and this morning was sent back to Omaha. Photo Credit: Denny Medley-US PRESSWIRE

After last night Adcock has a 2.51 ERA in four appearances and a 0-1 record with the Royals. Mazzaro, who picked up the game one win against Texas, had a 4.50 ERA in two games. Both had seen more regular work in the Omaha rotation.

As of this morning Teaford is 2-0 with a 1.06 ERA in 17 innings pitched with three starts with the PCL champions. Coleman only has nine innings of work in triple-A in 2012 in five appearances with one start but did sport a 2.89 earned run average.

For the bullpen, the move will add a long lefty while subtracting a right handed pitcher.

Stay current on all the Kings of Kauffman content and news by following us on Twitter, Facebook, or by way of our RSS feed and follow Mike Vamosi on Twitter to be notified each time he posts a story.

May 07, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Jonathan Sanchez (57) is relieved by manager Ned Yost (3) in the fourth inning of the game against the Boston Red Sox at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-US PRESSWIRE

Today, I realized I can no longer do this.  I can’t be hopelessly optimistic about someone who has given me little in return to back up my optimism.  I was never a fan of the Luke Hochevar pick in the 2006 draft, but I sucked it up and tried to find a reason to like the pick and give my support for Hochevar.  First, let me state that Hochevar should have never been the 1st overall pick and because of his selection there, he is going to be the most scrutinized player from that draft.  It’s also hard to swallow that Evan Longoria, Clayton Kershaw, and Tim Lincecum were all top ten picks that year as well, and were passed on.

While Hochevar hasn’t been bad every time out, what makes him so frustrating to watch, is the fact he is one of the most inconsistent pitchers in the game.  He’s had days of complete game shutouts and then he’ll turn around and have an outing like the home opener onslaught that a sold out crowd witnessed earlier this year at Kauffman Stadium.  A starter needs to be consistent, something Hochevar is not.  Yeah, Bruce Chen won’t dominate a line up but you can expect 6 innings and 2-3 runs every time he toes the rubber.  There’s peace of mind knowing what to expect from your starter on any given day.

That being said it really is time to at least scan around for other options to start in place of Hochevar and Jonathan Sanchez.  I’m not sure how much longer their leash is, but it can’t be too long.  Sanchez and Hochevar combined have went past 5 innings only twice thus far this season.  Hochevar is now the 6th worst pitcher in MLB history according to ERA that includes pitchers with over 100 starts.  That’s an interesting piece of information that can be found here* along with the rest of the top, or should I say bottom, ten.  I tend to get a sick feeling in my stomach every time it’s Sanchez’s turn in the rotation.  I know 5 walks and 3 innings is very likely.  These two make watching the Royals a nauseating task.  Normally, I’m not this down on the Royals, but I hate seeing the starting pitching give these types of performances.

*It’s interesting to note Kyle Davies is right in front of Hochevar on this list.

Therefore, there may come a time relatively soon where a change has to be made.  Ryan Verdugo, Nate Adcock, and Everett Teaford are all guys I truly believe can give us a quality start just about every time out.  The most important things a starter can do is keep the team in the game and go deep in the game to preserve the bullpen arms throughout the season.  Jake Odorizzi is also an intriguing name that I’d love to see in Kansas City at some point during the season.

I really don’t like giving up on a player, but it appears as though Hochevar is not capable of overcoming his blow up inning more times than not.  I believe there is a lack of focus there, even though no one will come out and say that.  I’m sure he prepares himself very well and puts in the time and effort, but there is something with the mental side of his game that is just not adding up.  A guy with the repertoire of pitches that Hochevar sports should not be nearly this inconsistent and should be a top of the rotation starter.  It’s just very frustrating to continue to watch him and anticipate his blow up inning.

All I’m hoping for is this doesn’t continue.  Whether Hochevar and Sanchez figure out a few things and can pitch deeper into a game or Ned Yost finally makes a move and replaces one or both of them with a few candidates I mentioned earlier, something will need to change.  The starting pitching is the weak spot of the team but that doesn’t mean you can’t make changes to try and produce different outcomes.  These two are certainly not cutting it.

Thanks for visiting Kings of Kauffman. You can stay current on all the Kings of Kauffman content and news by following us on Twitter, Facebook, or by way of our RSS feed.  You can also send your questions to our mailbag at KoKMailbag@gmail.com and follow Jordan McLaughlin on Twitterto be notified each time he posts a story.

Nate Adcock was called up from Omaha on Saturday as Everett Teaford was sent down. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-US PRESSWIRE

Nate Adcock, who spent all of 2011 in Kansas City after being selected in the rule-5 draft returns to the big league club. So far season for the Storm Chasers his numbers are solid going 3-1 with a 1.37 ERA in four games. In 2011, Adcock’s numbers were 1-1 and a 4.62 ERA in 24 games including three starts.

The move might suggest Duffy may miss another start for KC since Adcock is joining the team on full rest. Another name that was probably considered was Vin Mazzaro who’s also in the starting rotation in Omaha, pitched Friday taking the loss at Memphis 5-4.

Fortunately for the Royals, with Saturday’s game being rained out in everyone will get the day off which includes a bullpen that’s worked a lot this season. Unfortunately the team won’t have another day off until May 10 after the Boston Red Sox visit Kauffman Stadium.

Depending on how he is used Adcock should have value for Kansas City but I sense this move is more than adding another longman to the bullpen. I’d expect at least one start giving Duffy more time to rest. It will then be interesting if Adcock becomes goes to long-relief or if he returns to Omaha.

What are your thoughts on this roster move being made for the Royals today? Do you like it? Worried about Duffy? Let us know in the comments below and thanks for reading.

Stay current on all the Kings of Kauffman content and news by following us on Twitter, Facebook, or by way of our RSS feed and follow Mike Vamosi on Twitter to be notified each time he posts a story.

August 8, 2011; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Luke Hochevar (44) throws a pitch during the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE

As we are nearing opening day, a few things should start to clear up.  There are some pieces to the puzzle the Royals still have to figure out, and it’s becoming a guessing game for their fans to try and solve as well.  One thing that is certain, is Yuniesky Betancourt and Chris Getz will be platooning at second base to start the season.  This makes me question so many things, and the move has left a sour taste in the mouths of Royals diehards on Twitter .  In no way can this work in the Royals favor.  But I digress, there’s still many other questions to answer.  Who will be the lefty out of the bullpen?  Who will be the number four and five to fill out the rotation?  Also, who will be the next Royals closer in the wake of Joakim Soria needing his second Tommy John surgery?

Jose Mijares, Tim Collins, Everett Teaford, and Tommy Hottovy are all in the race to be the left-handed reliever out of the pen.  Three out of four of these pitchers have spotless ERAs and Collins has still managed a miniscule 1.08 ERA, at this time.  I think Mijares is the lead dog of the pack simply because he was brought in to be the go-to lefty.  Although, the other three guys are making their cases to start the year on the opening day roster as well.  It does seem possible to me, that two of these four could make the team but I would definitely say no more than that.

I don’t know about all of you, but I have been less than impressed by what I’ve seen out of the starters so far this spring.  I want to clarify that I’m aware the Royals aren’t anywhere near the Phillies or Angels in terms of starting pitching, but I was hoping they would be above adequate this spring.  Luke Hochevar and Luis Mendoza are the only two guys who have pitched extremely well and there is no guarantee Mendoza even makes the team as a starter.  Bruce Chen, Jonathan Sanchez, Danny Duffy, and Felipe Paulino have all underperformed this spring and aren’t doing much to claim their spots in the rotation.  I know not much weight should be put into spring training stats, but the fact that Chen has given up 27 hits in 12 innings is very disheartening.  It would be nice if a few of these guys pitched like they wanted the job.  That being said, Paulino is pitching his way out and Mendoza is pitching his way into the rotation.  I believe Duffy will start out in the rotation and am looking for Sanchez and Chen to bounce back after very rough springs.  I do not think there is room for Paulino, Duffy, or Mendoza out of the bullpen, if that question comes up, as there is an abundance of arms already out there now.

The starting pitching has been a question mark all off season, but one thing we thought was certain, was the closer’s role.  With the news that Joakim Soria will undergo his second Tommy John surgery, the question remains, who will fill his shoes?  I say  Greg Holland, Aaron Crow, and Jonathan Broxton, in that order.  Holland has the dominating stuff and one of the best sliders in the game, so I feel extremely confident with him in the 9th.  Crow was bestowed upon as the closer for a short amount of time last season and Broxton is coming off some elbow issues but is still capable of returning to his former All-Star self.  I would be okay with any of these relievers, but I’m personally pulling for Holland.

We only have a few more weeks, if not sooner, before we get some of the answers to these questions.  Whatever happens though, I’m sure it will make for some great conversations and playful banter.  Either way, Opening Day is less than two weeks away!

Thanks for visiting Kings of Kauffman. You can stay current on all the Kings of Kauffman content and news by following us on Twitter, Facebook, or by way of our RSS feed.  You can also send your questions to our mailbag at KoKMailbag@gmail.com and follow Jordan McLaughlin on Twitter to be notified each time he posts a story.

Bruce Chen has become the latest Royal to pick up Twitter. Jesse Johnson-US PRESSWIRE

Bruce Chen just joined Twitter at the behest of Nick Wright at 610 Sports, and if you’re on the social networking site, you realize it has caused quite the wave within Royal Nation.

If you’re not on Twitter, well then, you’re missing out. After witnessing the uproar of approval caused by Chen’s introduction to the Twitterverse, a single impenetrable thought occurred to me.

If you call yourself a Royals fan, then you have to be on Twitter.

There’s no way around it anymore. Sure it was fun to be a Twitter hater for a while, to bemoan the impending death of the English language, to condemn this social media as yet another source of mindless rot.

Trust me, I know the arguments. I am a recovering Twitter hater myself. But when I finally dropped the preconceived notions and gave it a real chance, I realized all that I had been missing.

Sure, Twitter can be like a gossip site. But it can also be like a news wire.

There is so much access, such an incredible archive of information, that it’s impossible to soak it all in. I follow athletes, sports writers, comedians, actors, friends, and colleagues.

Before you say “I don’t care to know what everybody in the world had for lunch” or something to that effect,  consider the reality of the situation. These people who you’ve chosen to follow, at your own discretion and based off your own interests, are often tweeting news articles, poignant or funny videos, pictures, and observations. The fact that they also tweet what they ate for lunch is merely a bonus.

As I alluded to earlier, The Kansas City Royals have a strong presence on Twitter. The Royals figure to have among the youngest teams in baseball, so that’s no surprise. But with a strong local media contingent in Surprise, Arizona for the opening of spring training, the fodder has been especially rich.

I know that ultimately, my words alone can’t convince you of the relevance of Twitter. That’s why I’ve compiled the following list of the ten best tweets to come out of camp in Surprise. Don’t worry, I’ll also provide context when necessary. I’ve also attached the players’ (and organization’s) Twitter handles in parentheses for your reference.

10. Fox Sports KC (FSKansasCity):

Sights & sounds from #Royals camp: Danny Duffy messes w/ Everett Teaford during a clubhouse interview: http://youtu.be/WECcGrrBYJU.

For this tweet, you really need to watch the accompanying video. It’s a short bit, but I think it says something about the clubhouse chemistry. Teaford is giving a straight-faced interview response about starters going deep into games when an off-camera Danny Duffy starts messing with him. Teaford doesn’t skip a beat, delivers some quality deadpan humor, and the scene seemed to bode well for clubhouse chemistry. Nothing earth shattering, but a fun little video.

9. Wil Myers (@wilmyers):

#MLB camp has been a great experience so far. Tons of talent in this organization and working hard to help contribute!

You have to like the attitude Myers has taken in MLB Spring Training. He’s almost a mortal lock to start in Omaha, but it’s still nice to see him saying the right things coming off his success in the Arizona Fall League. All signs point to him being a fast riser this season.

8. Joel Goldberg (@goldbergkc):

(1) Just chatted w/Sal Perez. Says he called his mom, Yilda Diaz last night and told her to get a water and sit down” (2) Told her about contract and his mom cried. Says they talked on phone for three hours and neither slept much last night.”

This is just a cool anecdote that Fox Sports KC’s Goldberg  was able to parlay directly to his followers, albeit in two separate tweets. There was frankly a lot to like with the Perez contract from the Royals’ perspective, so it’s nice to see that the security of the deal is a game-changer for Sal as well. Goldberg provides his Twitter followers with some nice emotional context from Perez, and it helps explain why Perez agreed to the deal. For fans, it’s a win-win of information and emotional pull.

7. Eric Hosmer (@hos3kc):

If you were absent during our struggles don’t expect to be present during our success #ourtime

Kings of Kaufman’s Brett Christie wrote a piece about the Hosmer tweet earlier this week that summed up the importance of this one. Hosmer has obviously embraced this season’s slogan of “Our Time”, and that is a good thing. One of the pitfalls of Twitter, however, is that the 140-character limit on tweets can sometimes leave a contextual void. Hosmer’s comment caused a brief stir, although he later apologized (via Twitter) and said he didn’t mean the tweet as a knock on fans.

6. Robert Ford (raford3):

Danny Duffy’s delivery definitely looks smoother & easier to repeat. Doing a good job of keeping the ball down #Royals

Here’s an example of the raw information that can be obtained through Twitter. Robert Ford provides excellent analysis for 610 Sports, and he is definitely worth a follow. I had been hoping that the mechanical adjustments Duffy has been explaining in his various media interviews was something tangible, and Ford’s observation here seems to back Duffy up. For a guy with as much talent as Duffy, a smooth, repeatable delivery could turn him into a star sooner rather than later.

5. Everett Teaford (@teaparty61):

How do I know I am uninteresting? @ChenMusic has more followers then me in less time then 1 practice!

Everett Teaford has a great sense of humor, so this tweet was in good taste. And it was true. Chen’s followers skyrocketed after his introduction to Twitter. I guess I also like the notion of Royals players competing for Twitter followers. It seems like a friendly competition between the guys, and as far as I’m concerned it harmless fun. Plus, only one practice for Chen to surpass Teaford? His Twitter potential might be greater than I had previously suspected.

4. Bruce Chen (@chenmusic):

(1) “This is my first tweet ever! (2) “Does this mean that I lost my tweetirginity?

Bruce Chen’s first tweets simply had to be included in this list. Chen has long been a fun personality inside the locker room and possesses considerable Twitter potential. The story of how Nick Wright (@getnickwright) convinced Chen to join is also worth telling, and it can be found easily on Wright’s previously linked Twitter feed. Just saying.

3. -Danny Duffy (dduffkc23):

Bury me a Royal

Here is an example of the simple beauty of Twitter. Duffy is another player who has wholly embraced the “Our Time” mentality, and it has been fun to watch. His enthusiasm for this season just seems infectious.

2. Aaron Crow (@acrow43):

I would give anything to go back to college and have to opportunity to pitch against ku tomorrow and shove it up their @$$

As a KU alum, I can say without remorse that this was a classic tweet. There was some pure emotion in there, and he showed ingenuity and creativity with his use of the dollar signs. In the afterglow of Kansas’ incredible come from behind overtime victory over Mizzou, the emotions were understandable.

1. Sam Mellinger (@mellinger):

Overheard before today’s intrasquad, from @Hos3KC to @ChenMusic: “Gimme a first-pitch fastball and I’ll mention you on Twitter. #Royals

This tweet essentially encompasses everything I like about Twitter. Mellinger heard some playful banter that wasn’t going to be the center piece of a column and offered it up to Twitter. It’s a legitimately funny line from Hosmer, who is playing off Chen’s new-found presence on Twitter as well as his own soaring popularity. Everyone just seems excited to play baseball. As a fan, It’s a perfect piece of information to digest on Twitter.

So what are you waiting for?

You can stay current on all the Kings of Kauffman content and news by following us on Twitter, Facebook, or by way of our RSS feed.

Luis Mendoza's may have what it takes to be a key part of the Royals in 2012. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-US PRESSWIRE

Can we all agree on one thing? The Royals’ starting rotation doesn’t have a track record that suggests it will be good in 2012. I know it’s the spring and everyone’s optimistic and hopeful and talking about chips on shoulders and shoulders on chips and so forth, but where I live—reality—this is a mediocre rotation. Do I hope they’ll be great? Sure I do. But a very wise man once said, “Well, you can wish in one hand and crap in the other and see which gets filled first.”

With that in mind, the bullpen looks like it will play a more important role than a bullpen might on a team with a more established rotation. David Lesky of Pine Tar Press had an article this Thursday outlining the importance of Joakim Soria to the bullpen and made a terrific point that the Royals will be in some games where the starter has to come out in the third or fourth inning.

I love the phrase “swing man.” It sounds like the guy is part of an elaborate Danny Ocean style con. The swing man for the Royals this season is going to play a very important role, perhaps more important than any other swing man in the league. Is everyone clear on what a swing man is? A long-relief bullpen guy who occasionally makes a start when needed.

It seems clear the Royals have an offense and bullpen capable of competing but a starting rotation capable of working a drive through window (just to add more chip to the shoulder). Sometimes, they’re going to need a swing man who can not only cover the long bridge from starter to bullpen during short starts, thus saving vital bullpen innings, but also jump in and start when Bruce Chen, or whoever, has to miss a start.

If the Royals want to compete, this pitcher needs to be able to stop the bleeding in a game and give the Royals lineup a fighting chance to get back in the game. He needs to be good enough to win a start here and there, but not so good that he should be in the rotation. He also needs to be someone who may not have a high ceiling but has a decently high floor so the Royals don’t have to worry about foster his talent in the minors. Do the Royals have a guy like that?

Hello Luis Mendoza. For those readers who haven’t heard of Mendoza, he’s a 28-year-old pitcher who burst onto the scene last season in AAA with incredible, if deceiving, numbers. In two starts in September with the big club, he pitched very well, winning both. That said, nearly everyone who thinks and writes about the Royals is in agreement that Mendoza’s 2011 was an anomaly. He doesn’t strike a lot of hitters out. He had never shown that type of promise before 2011, and he had some things really go his way.

That’s not to say that Mendoza isn’t any good. He is good. He just doesn’t miss enough bats to be considered a legitimate starting candidate. But he is perfect as a candidate for the swing man role. He’s got the arm for it—he pitched 158 innings last season. He’s pitched in a relief role before. The Royals don’t have to worry about ruining his potential by putting him in this role because he’s 28. His potential is this role.

If Mendoza struck out more hitters or had a more ridiculously low walk rate—it was decent in 2011 at 3.37 in AAA and 3.07 in the big leagues—he could be seen as a back-end starter. In essence, he’s almost good enough to start, but not quite, which makes him perfect as a swing man. Plus, he’s out of options, which means the Royals have to either keep him in the majors or hope he clears waivers, which he probably won’t.

It’s not just that Mendoza falls short of being a starter. He actually fits the Royals swing man role perfectly. He seems to be a contact pitcher, but doesn’t give up a ton of home runs. If a pitcher does give up too many walks, which Mendoza doesn’t seem to and doesn’t give up too many home runs, all he really needs is good defense behind him and a limited role. The Royals should have a pretty good defense, and with a limited role, Mendoza doesn’t have to be spectacular, just consistently average.

I’ll be very surprised if Mendoza is not the Royals’ swing man on Opening Day, especially because he’s out of options. Of course, I could be wrong about his abilities. Maybe, he’ll get rocked every time out, and the Royals will turn to another swing man—Everett Teaford or Nate Adcock. But if that’s the case, there’s really nothing hurt. Those were starts they were probably going to lose anyway. Ned Yost claims that Mendoza is getting a look as a starting pitcher this spring. I can’t see that happening. But he could be a very valuable resource as a swing man, I’m thinking worth as many as 4 wins when thinking about spot starts, long relief, and saved bullpen innings (not in WAR but just in a general sense of helping the Royals win).

I’ve started the campaign: Mendoza for Swing Man in 2012. We’re not well funded but at least we’re low in numbers as well.

You can stay current on all the Kings of Kauffman content and news by following us on Twitter, Facebook, or by way of our RSS feed.

Or follow me on Twitter @MarcusMeade

Expect to keep seeing this quite a bit in 2012. (Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE)

I’m going to repeat this once more (and for the last time), so if you’ve seen it before, skip ahead. Dayton Moore and the Royals have been busy this offseason. Not busy looking for starting pitchers and not busy looking for new bats. They’ve been busy finding the pieces to finish up their killer bullpen.

But really, there weren’t a lot of moves to be made. The Royals bullpen only increased by two members, as Jonathan Broxton became the new, well, whatever role he’ll supposedly fill and Jose Mijares became lefty insurance. There were lots of rumors about using the Broxton addition to move Joakim Soria and leave Greg Holland to closing, but that’s all in the past. Right now, we’re barely different than last year’s team. Let’s just get a quick recap of where that team stood in several categories with regards to the rest of the American League:

Runs Allowed Per Game: 11th (4.70)
Wins in Relief: 3rd (26)
Losses in Relief: 13th (26)
Save Percentage: 10th (63%)
Holds: 10th (58)
Inherited Runners Scored Percentage: 2nd (25%)
Games Pitched on Zero Days Rest: 2nd lowest (56)
Average Outs Recorded Per Outing: 1st (3.6)

If you have any questions about those rankings, throw them out in the comments. All I know is this paints a very muddled picture. Was the bullpen good or bad? Was it good or bad as a result of how rough the rotation was? Can we really blame the bullpen when they had quite a bit of work over the course of the year due to that rotation?

What it seems like to me is that they did a respectable job with the hand they were dealt. Manager Ned Yost didn’t overwork them too badly, though the consecutive days stat could be biased a bit toward one or two pitchers. I had no idea that they had done so well with inherited runners, but the fact that they allowed that many runs, compiled that many losses, and blew that many saves makes me reconsider my acclaim at their success. Of course, as the season wore on, young arms got tired and handing the ball to the bullpen became less of a sure thing. Nonetheless, how can we think about this bullpen going into 2012? Are they truly killers?

Well, I pulled out three projection systems for 10 pitchers that could (or should) be a part of the 2012 bullpen. I’ll use ZiPS, Bill James, and RotoChamp to get three different perspectives. And I’ll try to show them in a way that’s not totally confusing, using their 2010 and 2011 lines alongside their projections to get an idea of what we’re seeing.

Let’s start with Joakim Soria because, well, who else do you start with when you think of the Royals’ bullpen?

For the most part, projections show a return to form from 2011 and more of what we expect from Soria. And I see no reason to debate that, as he’s shown us he can stick in there when healthy, so let’s leave it at that. Soria is a stable player for the bullpen.

We’ll turn to Jonathan Broxton next.

Broxton’s going to be an interesting one to watch. After being nails for the Dodgers earlier in his career, he started to falter the last couple, including a bruised elbow that sidelined him for most of 2011. Between that and the move to the AL, it’s hard to get a read on how he’ll perform. All signs point to him being healthy for 2012 and ready to pitch for the Royals, however. And all three projection systems show that in their analysis. While they’re more bullish on Broxton than I am (or than I expected them to be), I think we can expect solid numbers from Broxton. And if he can pitch consistently throughout the season, he could be a crucial piece for close games in late innings.

Greg Holland

Everyone expects a little regression from Holland’s ridiculously good 2011 campaign. His BABIP last season was .250, which is plenty low and offsets the 3.77 he found himself with in 2010. Settling at a midpoint seems like a good idea, and that’s what the projections have done. I expect Holland to sit closer to the RotoChamp projection than the others, however, even though their hits/9 is a little low. Holland will still be a crucial piece of the bullpen, but maybe not quite as amazing as he was last season. The battle between him, Coleman, and Broxton for the “set-up role” will be one that could go all season if Holland doesn’t end up replacing Soria as the closer should Soria get injured.*

*Knock on wood. Every piece of wood. Even Blake Wood.

Blake Wood

I’ll be honest and say that I have no idea what to expect from Wood. He was extremely frustrating to see pitch at times, but surprisingly productive at other times. And I guess that just means we should expect something similar to last year. Every projection system shows some amount of regression, but I’d expect Wood to sit around an ERA of 4 and to be neither great nor horrible, providing solid relief when you least expect it and poor relief when you need outs. This all leans on him making the roster, of course, but he should be a likely candidate unless he spoils it for himself in Spring Training.

Louis Coleman

Coleman was the guy that always made me think he was right there the whole time, just about ready to break free, but restrained by his high home run numbers. He still had an amazing season considering he missed almost a month of the season and will be another important piece of the bullpen in 2012. I would guess he can take a step forward on those home runs numbers while staying roughly constant in every other way. Bill James’ projection seems to be the closest for me, showing exactly that. With a step forward in the home run area for Coleman, the back four righties of the bullpen (Soria, Broxton, Holland, and Coleman) should be a formidable set for opposing lineups to face as they try to rally.

Aaron Crow

For whatever reason, Bill James didn’t project Crow, but it doesn’t matter. I see Crow regressing a bit, sticking closer to his late-season numbers than his initial ones, but he can still be an important part of the bullpen. We have some projection issues here, as RotoChamp saw Crow as a starter, but the numbers are similar nonetheless. I think the ZiPS projection is a bit bearish, but Crow should maintain his strikeouts and potentially his walks as well, staying roughly in the same point as he was last year. Like Coleman, if Crow can cut his home run numbers a bit, he’ll make it into that upper tier of relievers. But he’ll still be a useful arm nonetheless. And if they’re thinking about trying him as a starter, he could become a middle relief sort of guy, as Wood might be the only other useful righty candidate for such a role. The prognosis? Still useful, but maybe less of the early Crow and more of the later Crow.

Kelvin Herrera

I’m really intrigued by Herrera’s chances, as he could either go the Jeremy Jeffress route or he could stick as another strong righty reliever. If you’re counting at home, that would mean the Royals would have seven average-to-great righty relievers in their bullpen, so I don’t know if we can count on them all making it. But Herrera has shown strong numbers in the minors, flashing a 1.60 ERA in 2011 across high-A, AA, and AAA before getting a September call-up to Kansas City. He usually strikes out about 9/9 IP, and while that should continue this year, I expect closer to 8/9 IP. Like Wood, Herrera’s case probably hinges on his Spring Training performance, but his existence alone exhibits why the Royals have a good reason to rely on their deep, deep bullpen.

And on to the lefties.

Tim Collins

Collins will be another interesting one, as he seemed to be fatigued by the time the season ended. He pitched in 68 games, eight more than Soria and 11 more than Crow, which likely contributed to that fatigue. And Yost seemed to be content with (over)using Collins no matter his fatigue. Collins has some legitimate competition in Jose Mijares this Spring Training, with Everett Teaford also available, so the team won’t have to rely on him quite as much. Still, more competition is better than less, and Collins will at least have to perform or be sent down, hopefully keeping the bullpen stocked with a capable left-handed reliever.

Jose Mijares

Mijares is a guy that I vouched for when the Royals signed him. It’s definitely good to try many options, and, as I said above, it gives a bit of insurance and competition for Collins. Mijares was a great reliever for the Twins a few years back, but his weight and other issues led to less use and less productivity as the seasons wore on until Minnesota dropped him this offseason. It’s a good flyer to take on a guy that could be a huge boost should he return to form. And if he doesn’t do that, no harm, no foul. Collins and Teaford, plus Mike Montgomery or other lefty prospects, could fill that role.

Everett Teaford

Teaford’s another guy that got some partial projections as a starter, but he should only exist as a spot starter and mostly as a lefty reliever option. He’ll also have to fight his way onto the roster, and he’s probably less likely to make the roster than Collins and maybe Mijares. I think Teaford was a bit lucky last season, but he’s got the ability to put in about what Bill James’ projection shows when the Royals need him. It’s just another sign of the depth this season.

What we can really take from this, as I’ve said before, is that the Royals have considerably more depth and insurance in their bullpen for 2012 than they did going into 2011. There are more players than can ably contribute when needed, and that should make it easier to keep the bullpen performing all year. As some prospects move forward, there should only be more options, allowing for extreme selectivity going forward. Even though Broxton’s contract is only a year, this all points to the team being prepared for a great bullpen for many, many years as they approach the start of their window of competition.

So, while the bullpen was a great point of strength in 2011, it should be as strong or stronger in 2012 given the number of options and the players’ performance in previous seasons. The projection systems are understandably mixed, but even with some of their lower projections, the bullpen will be solid for this season. Considering how they ranked in some categories last season, there’s room for improvement. And there should be improvement.

Of course, the wild card in all of this is new pitching coach Dave Eiland. He may change the pitching strategies of some younger players, and we’ll have to keep track of any changes in performance or style from 2011 to 2012. Just another thing to keep in mind.

Has Moore built a “killer bullpen” for 2012? Well, yes and no. He didn’t add much to build that bullpen. But it also didn’t need a ton of additions to become a killer. Broxton and Mijares should only add depth in two areas where competition and number of options will only help the team to stay in it throughout 2012. And with a rotation that’s questionable and difficult to project, having a strong bullpen with many potential members can only be a good thing.

Thanks for visiting Kings of Kauffman. You can stay current on all the Kings of Kauffman content and news by following us on Twitter, Facebook, or by way of our RSS feed. You can follow Gage on Twitter.

Kelvin Herrera hopes that a strong offseason results in major league time. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-US PRESSWIRE

The Caribbean Series ended on Tuesday, wrapping up most of the Royals involvement in offseason leagues (catcher Kevin David, a 19th round pick in 2010 is playing for Melbourne in the Australian Baseball League Championship Series that starts on Friday). With spring training coming up, players are gearing up for a trip to Surprise and getting in work with the rest of their team.

Some of those players are going to be looking to build on their offseason performances and move up the ladder.

Wil Myers rebounded from his first season of Double A ball with 31 hits in 86 at bats in the Arizona Fall League. Over the 23 games, he produced a 1.167 OPS, walked more than he struck out and added 14 extra base hits. He shook off a lot of questions about the knee injury (and infection) that slowed him at Northwest Arkansas and the 21-year-old got his first invite to big league camp. Brian Poldberg told Paul  Nielsen of NWAOnline.com that he thinks Myers will get a chance at Triple A.

Mario Lisson could be headed to Omaha as well. The 27-year-old third baseman hit .293/.372/.527 for the Naturals, then kept hitting in the Venezuelan League, hitting 11 homers in 50 games with an OPS of .877.

Anthony Seratelli can play multiple positions (he’s one of those “played everywhere but catcher and pitcher kinda guys) and was an organizational All-Star in the Royals system according to MILB.com. After a solid year in Northwest Arkansas, Seratelli had an even better time in the Arizona Fall League, hitting .317/.426/.429. When he’s not playing all over the field, he also produces a weekly video as a hobby. He also received the Royals Willie Wilson Award last month as baserunner of the year.

On the mound, Kelvin Herrera, who went from A ball to the majors last year, continued the momentum, throwing 17.1 innings, striking out 15 and walking just one while compiling a 0.51 ERA. He has a strong chance to break camp in the Royals bullpen.

Francisely Bueno had a 1.90 ERA in 42.2 innings, which was good enough to get him an invite to big league camp. He’ll be 31 years old in March, so he’s hoping to get a shot as bullpen depth after a strong showing in the Dominican League.

It’s worth noting that in 48.2 innings, Manauris Baez had a 1.66 ERA, but he also walked 25 batters during Dominican League play. When the Royals signed him, they converted him from an everyday player to a pitcher, so at 25 years old now, he’s working his way up the ranks. He’s pitched as high as Triple A and may start there or see time there again this year.

Antonio Cruz, one of the players the Royals received from Detroit for Wilson Betemit, only threw 2.2 innings, but did so over seven games, recording five strikeouts.

Everett Teaford, who’ll compete for a spot on the Royals pitching staff this spring, had a 29 to 3 strikeout to walk ratio in the Dominican League in 23 innings. He’s also one of the better Royals players to follow on Twitter at @teaparty61.

Most of these players will serve the purpose of minor league depth and will need a few things to break their way to get into the big leagues, but some, like Teaford and Herrera, certainly didn’t hurt their odds of starting the year in Kansas City. Myers was one of the better players in Arizona during Fall League play, which is a great sign for the organization.

You can stay current on all the Kings of Kauffman content and news by following us on Twitter, Facebook, or by way of our RSS feed. 

(more…)

Whether it exists or not is unclear (but there have been articles), but I’ll be on watch to see what a second season does to Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas, to Salvador Perez, Johnny Giavotella, Aaron Crow, and Danny Duffy. So, I wondered what we should expect for those players. I just did a brief search and my findings are described after the jump.

(more…)

From my perch here in Kansas City I want to gaze north to Omaha, where the Storm Chasers will once again be jam-packed with top flight prospects this season. Even with a horde of elite players making their way to the big leagues last season, Omaha will be looking to improve upon their stellar 2011 campaign (79-63 record, first place).

Before I begin the predictions, allow me a couple of ground rules. First, I will only include two set-up men and a closer for the bullpen. The rest is just too much of a crapshoot, and may include players not currently in the system. I’m also going to cheat a little bit and include six rotation candidates. One of the six will likely earn the role of the long reliever, and I’m not going to try to decipher that race. Also, only the starters on offense will be included. I’m not diving into the bench. There are too many options, too many variables, and, well, ultimately this is my list so I get to do what I want.

Hypothetically, I’d like to come back to this post as the season begins and judge these predictions. Surely, some (if not all) of my projected starters will not pan out, and it’s always fun to look back under the lenses hindsight and deride yourself for going all in on fool’s gold. There is also the (ever so slight) possibility that I nail the predictions and get the opportunity to write a self-congratulatory column about it while being showered in the confetti I bought for the occasion. Either way is a win in my book.
Without further ado…

(more…)

He first appeared in the majors 2008, when he posted a 0.87 ERA in 10 appearances for the Minnesota Twins. The next season was his best, as Mijares recorded a 2.34 ERA in 61.2 innings, while striking out 55. But that was the high water mark. Mjiares threw only 32.2 (albeit solid) innings in 201o, sporting a 3.31 ERA, and then saw his strikeout rate dip dramatically in 2011 at the same time that his ERA soared to 4.59.

All this to say that Mijares isn’t, and won’t be, a miracle worker. But there are reasons to believe that his addition will prove valuable.

(more…)

It’s just the way life works. It’s the same with religion or politics or science or whatever you want. There are always certain folks that either can’t wrap their minds around a new concept or don’t want to accept that what they’ve believed all this time has been wrong. So, they reject the new information.

I’m not one to tell people what to think. Or, at least I try not to do so. Instead, I want to talk about how to discuss the current Royals with these folks. How do you get across the improvements the team is making and the abilities of some of the players on the field without using newer stats? Well, I gave it a shot…

(more…)

This year, it may be a little different.  No, the Royals aren’t in contention, and only recently did they win their 63rd game to avoid that 100 loss season.

It’s just rough.

But here are the things I’ll be looking for the rest of this 2011 season.

(more…)

For Teaford, his win is a good sign, as he gets a jumpstart in what should be a crowded battle for a rotation spot next year.

And while success is good, it’s no guarantee, if history tells us anything.

(more…)

With starters starting to go deeper into games and numerous candidates vying for bullpen roles, players like Dwyer, Lamb and Smith are shifting to get more innings in minor league camp.

(more…)

And just like building a piece of furniture out of the box from Walmart, there are a lot of other pieces laying about, and I have a feeling they’re important.

These are a handful of prospects who I think warrant mentioning, but fall just short of getting a full profile:

(more…)

And the unlucky player cut loose was Dusty Hughes.

I find it confusing.

(more…)

Jeff Francis

We’re about three weeks removed from the Zack Greinke trade and the Royals still don’t have any real inkling as to who might take the open spot in the pitching rotation.

There are some potential in-house options – Austin mentioned Robinson  Tejeda, Joakim Soria (who’ll be the subject of these discussion until he retires I’m sure), and minor leaguers Danny Duffy, Mike Montgomery, Aaron Crow, Everett Teaford or John Lamb – as potential fits for the open spot.  Zach Miner, who signed a minor league contract, could be another option coming out of spring training.

Recently, the Royals have been mentioned in the list of teams that are vying for the services of former first round pick (9th overall in 2002) Jeff Francis.

So what about him?  Pros and cons?  Let’s look:

(more…)

Luke Hochevar, doin' his thing

By now its fairly well known that our starting rotation next year isn’t going to be very good.

We’re staring down a rotation where Luke Hochevar, Kyle Davies, Sean O’Sullivan and Vin Mazzaro are locks and the fifth starter is still up in the air.

As for our set in stone guys, Hochevar’s likely the best out of all of them and our Opening Day starter. “The Hoch” like many Royals, is big on potential. He was, of course, a star at Tennesee and the number one pick in the 2006 draft and he’s been bred for a high rotation spot since then. However, his career is pockmarked with injuries and underachievement. Hochevar only mustered 17 starts last year while dealing with an injury in his throwing shoulder. Otherwise, his performance and numbers have been shaky at best. In four years, he’s averaged a beyond mediocre 5.60 ERA and a far below average 78 ERA+, but not all of his stats are terrible.

(more…)

(more…)

It’s not a surprise why the Naturals were selected. Led by Mike Moustakas until July and then by Eric Hosmer (not to mention Texas League Triple Crown winner Clint Robinson), the Naturals were the most loaded minor league team in the most loaded system in the game today. Up and coming prospects Johnny Giavotella, Salvador Perez and pitchers Danny Duffy, Everett Teaford, Mike Montgomery and John Lamb were among the featured prospects in Arvest Ballpark this season.

Congratulations to the Naturals and if you’re on Twitter, send a congrats to Naturals GM Eric Edelstein (@EricBaseball).

Stay current on all the Kings of Kauffman content and news by following us on Twitter,Facebook, or by way of our RSS feed.

Hopefully, in a few years casual fans assume Mike Moustakas, perhaps coming off a few all-star seasons, was the first such player.  No matter who comes up in 2011, Holland will be the answer to the question.

The wealth of the Royals system is still surfacing, but we may see some of the prospects a bit sooner than expected.
(more…)

A look at the pitching staff is here.

The hitters are examined here.

Today, we’ll look at who should fill those vacant spots and why.
(more…)

The date today is October 20.  According to MLBTradeRumors.com, that puts us a month from the finalization of the 40 man roster and the Rule Five Draft (that is unconfirmed but that’s the speculation of the date).

A quick refresher on Rule Five eligibility rules:

• Players who signed when 18 or younger are eligible for the draft after five years.
• Players who signed when 19 or older are eligible after four years.
• If these players aren’t on their teams’ 40 man rosters, they’re exposed.

Also remember that a player selected in the Rule Five Draft, they must remain on that team’s 25 man active roster for the entire season or be offered back to the original team.

That all being said, what players are the Royals going to have exposed to the draft, and what players should they protect?
(more…)

That’s a disappointing result for the way the team played, but it was still a solid showing.

Three Royals prospects – Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, and Mike Montgomery – were named to the All-Tournament Team.
(more…)

Montgomery got the win a day after fellow Double A prospect Everett Teaford dominated Aruba.  But Montgomery wasn’t the only star in Monday’s win.  Eric Hosmer went 2-5 and drove in a run while scoring two himself.  Mike Moustakas also went 2-5, drove in three and scored once.

Team USA improved to 3-0 and will play the Dominican Republic tonight.

Royals prospects have been a strong source of talent for the Pan Am roster, as both Teaford and Montgomery have had strong five-inning starts in winning efforts.  Tim Collins had two scoreless innings in relief in the first game of the Pan Am Qualifying tournament and both Hosmer and Moustakas have produced.

Royals Prospect Pan Am Stats
Mike Montgomery: 1-0, 3.60 ERA, 5 IP, 6 K, 2 BB, 5 H, 2 RA
Everett Teaford: 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 5 IP, 10 K, 0 BB, 1 H
Tim Collins: 2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1 K, 2 H
Mike Moustakas: 4-14, 1 HR, 6 RBI
Eric Hosmer: 2-8, 6 BB, 1 RBI, 4 RS

You can stay current on all the Kings of Kauffman content and news by following us on Twitter, Facebook, or by way of our RSS feed.

And that was the high point of the day for Aruba.

Teaford threw 62 pitches over five innings, striking out 10 batters and walking none.  As a unit, Team USA surrendered just that one hit and no walks over seven total innings.  Oh, and they also scored 14 runs, ending the game early due to a mercy rule.

Royals prospects Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer had fine performances as well, as Moustakas homered in the fifth inning and Hosmer walked four times.

The win makes Team USA 2-0 heading into this afternoon’s contest with Colombia where Mike Montgomery gets the start.

You can stay current on all the Kings of Kauffman content and news by following us on Twitter, Facebook, or by way of our RSS feed.

Will Smith pitched 6.2 scoreless innings with six strikeouts to earn the clinching win.  Smith, you’ll remember, was one of the arms the Royals got from the Angels in return for Alberto Callaspo.
(more…)

A couple of weeks ago Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas and Danny Duffy were rumored/unofficially named to the roster, while the confirmed players joining them will be Tim Collins, Mike Montgomery and Everett Teaford.
(more…)

It should be no surprise that Mike Moustakas is the recipient of the Brett Award and John Lamb won the Splittorff Award.

On top of those honors, the Royals also named players of the year for their minor league affiliates today.
(more…)